Question 1

Why should I hire a travel consultant?

Accepted Answer

The consultants at Go Farther Travel provide a variety of services for all types of travelers and planners, but we have found that our customers choose us for one (or more) of these four reasons:
 
1. You lack the time.
 
Depending on your perspective, the internet has made travel planning both easier and more complicated.
 
How it's easier: 
You can book your own flights.
How it's harder:
Should I book through one of these really cheap sites? Which airline is better? Do the arrival and departure times work with my agenda? What is the difference between basic economy, economy, economy plus, premium economy, business, and first class? I just want to know if I can bring a carry-on bag! How big can my bag be on the second flight? How do I get from one terminal to the other? Is the layover long enough? Which airport should I fly out of? Do I set an alert for all of the airports in the tri-state area? When is the best time to buy my tickets?
 
How it's easier:
You can book your own accommodations.
How it's harder:
Should I stay in a hotel, B&B, or AirBnB? Is it cheaper to book direct? Is breakfast included? What about taxes and resort fees? Is this a safe neighborhood? Is there an airport shuttle? How big is 16 sq m? Trip Advisor, Booking.com, and Google reviews all have different ratings – which should I trust? When do I pay? Can I cancel if my plans change?
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How it's easier:
You can book your own rental car.
How it's harder:
Do I need a rental car? Can my husband drive, too? Do I get the rental insurance? No one told me I might need an international drivers' license! Is a Fiat big enough for 4 people? Wait, this car is not an automatic?! How is the parking situation? Gas costs how much?! How do I convert liters to gallons? Why is the steering wheel on the wrong side of the car?
 
How it's easier:
You can reserve the attractions you want to see.
How it's harder:
Is the City Pass worth it? Should I invest in a Skip The Line tour? Can I see these 3 museums in the same day? How do I get from one to the other? I will be in that city on Monday but nothing is open on Mondays!
 
Yes, you can book your vacation on your own, but is it really easier? For most travelers, planning comes with a lot of questions to answer, and answering them takes a lot of research and patience. It can feel like a full-time job! If you already have a full-time job, and/or other more pressing responsibilities, you may not have the time to plan a big and complicated vacation.
 
2. You lack the confidence.
 
Perhaps you don't travel very often or very far from home. Your alter ego would love to take an epic vacation, but every-day-you is hesitant. If you start planning 18 months out, this may be doable, but more likely, it's overwhelming. What if you pick the wrong place, get lost, or have a miserable time? Or maybe you think it will be wonderful, but how do you begin to plan it? You may not even have a passport yet!
 
3. You lack the desire.
 
Not the desire to travel – you wouldn't be here in that case. You lack the desire to plan an extraordinary vacation. You would love to go on safari, provided you can just show up. Planning is not your thing. (Fortunately, it's ours!)
 
4. You lack the budget.
 
No, we are not referring to those with an endless amount of money to spend (although we can certainly help them, too), but to those who take trips without setting a budget first.
 • Do you jump at the opportunity to travel without the savings account to support it?
 • Do you find that most of your trip goes on a credit card with no plan in place to quickly pay it off?
 • Do you set a budget and then blow it out of the water?
 • Do you not travel at all, or take boring, cheap vacations, because you don't think you can afford an amazing one?
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Bonus benefit:
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A travel agent is also your Emergency Concierge while traveling. Murphy's Law tells us that if things can go wrong, they will. From lost luggage to sprained ankles, seasoned travelers know that mishaps do occur, and it can be a hassle to handle them when you are away from home. For example, imagine one of these real-life, it-actually-happened scenarios happening to you:
 
The Problem: You show up at your hotel in Italy and learn that someone in Dubai canceled your reservation. What would you do?
How You Handle It Yourself: Argue with the clerk, freak out a bit, scramble to find a new hotel, and miss your prepaid tour.
What Happens When You Have a Travel Agent: Call her on What's App, say, "hey, figure this out," and catch the train to Pompeii while she does.
 
The Problem: You are 4 adults with 6 suitcases. The rental car company hands you keys to a Toyota Corolla rather than the Ford Expedition you reserved. What would you do?
How You Handle It Yourself: Stand in long lines at the rental counter, argue with the agents who may not speak the same language, worry about missed reservations, and likely shed a few tears.
What Happens When You Have a Travel Agent: You call your agent. If you hired us, we'll not only find you a new car, but we'll make sure it doesn't cost you extra. Then we will reschedule any tours or reservations that may be affected by the delay.  These changes will appear like magic in your app.
 
The Problem: You have a flight booked on a small airline in Central America. Your family of 6 arrives at the airport and learns that your flight was moved UP two hours. It already took off and there are no more flights today. What would you do?
How You Handle It Yourself: Panic!
What Happens When You Have a Travel Agent: Certainly not this! Your travel agent learned of the flight change that morning, called the airline, rescheduled your transfers on both sides of that flight, and then let you know when to be ready.
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The Problem: Your allergies are out of control and you left your Claritin at home.
How You Handle It Yourself: Find a pharmacy. Learn how to speak Greek on the fly. 
What Happens When You Have a Travel Agent: If you hired Go Farther Travel, we will research over-the-counter equivalents to the medicines you take at home and send you a picture of them to show the pharmacist. We will also give you directions to get there. In English.

Question 2

Why should I choose Go Farther Travel? What sets you apart from other travel agencies?

Accepted Answer

We know that you have a lot of options, so we appreciate you considering us in your search! 
 
As you may know, most travel agents are compensated by hotels, resorts, and cruise lines. Sometimes, they will even offer upgrades if you book with one of their preferred suppliers. They can do this because the more they book with a certain provider, the more perks they get! But it also means that your trip is not quite custom-tailored to your needs.
 
Go Farther Travel provides a much different experience. We do not rely solely on commissions, so we won't be directing you to stay at chain hotels, or encouraging you to take a river cruise rather than the train trip you requested. We also don't default to third-party providers, which helps us to eliminate expensive markups. When you hire us, we work for you.
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In addition, we plan your entire trip - including your flights. Most travel agents and tour operators want nothing to do with your air arrangements. They don't make commission on it, so it is not worth the effort, nor the headache if something goes wrong. In contrast, Go Farther Travel believes that your vacation begins the moment you leave your house, so not only will we research and book your airfare, we will even coordinate your transportation to, or parking at, the airport! 
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Furthermore, we encourage you to visit multiple destinations on your vacation. So, unlike other agencies, we do not charge you more for going farther.

Question 3

Okay, but what if I only want the nice itinerary or the travel budget?

Accepted Answer

While we'd prefer to help you with all aspects of your vacation with our Custom Planning Services (CPS), we do offer some services a-la-carte. For example, if you already know your itinerary but would like to see it organized in our awesome app, we can accommodate your wishes. In addition, we can review any of the following options with you during our initial consultation:

1. Pre-Trip Research: If you want help researching for your vacation, or narrowing down your list of destinations, or showing you the pros and cons of several options, let us      help you! If you know you want to take a big-bus tour and need help deciding which to take, or you'd like to find cruise excursions that the cruise line doesn't offer, we would love to research this for you. Click here to learn more.(https://www.gofarthertravel.com/services)
2. Group Travel & Special Events: If you plan to travel with a group, or to host a destination event, we can coordinate your logistics and activities.  Click here to learn more.(https://www.gofarthertravel.com/services#groups-and-events)
3. Travel with Us: If you are not ready to embark on an epic journey of your own, join us on one of ours! Click here to learn more. (https://www.gofarthertravel.com/trips)
4. Surprise Trips: Whether you want to get away but don't want to plan the trip, or you want to spice up your next vacation, let us choose your destination and itinerary for a truly unique experience. Click here to learn more. (https://www.gofarthertravel.com/services#surprise)
5. Travel Budgets and Savings Plans: Many people budget for their big-ticket travel items (airfare, hotels, activities) and then they put the on-the-ground expenses (meals, taxis, souvenirs) on a credit card. At Go Farther Travel, we believe vacations are more enjoyable when you're not wondering how you're going to pay off those charges. Through years of experience, we have formulated what things will cost, wherever you go. We can create this budget for you, and a savings plan, so that you are prepared for the "all-in" price of your trip, before you ever leave your house. Click here to learn more. (https://www.gofarthertravel.com/services#budget)
6. Points! Points! Points!: Credit card points make business class travel accessible to economy passengers, but finding those flights can be confusing, time-consuming, and in some cases, impossible. Or so you thought! We make it easy by doing the research for you and presenting you with the options. Click here to learn more.(https://www.gofarthertravel.com/services#points)
7. Hoboken Residents: We understand how much you have to think about before you travel. No one wants to go on a big vacation and come home to a flooded basement or a boot on their car! We can provide local residents peace of mind that      someone is looking after your home, plants, and vehicle. Click here to learn more. (https://www.gofarthertravel.com/services#help-at-home) (https://www.gofarthertravel.com/services#help-at-home)
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Keep in mind, however, that since we prioritize our CPS clients' trips, our help-at-home concierge service is available on a limited basis. Please inquire if your dates are available.

Question 4

I have a Type A personality. Can I hire you and be highly involved in planning the trip?

Accepted Answer

Of course! At Go Farther Travel, we wear many hats. You may think of your consultant as filling one or more of these roles, according to your needs:
 • Assistant – She is here to help you with the grunt work of planning your trip.
 • Concierge – She can offer suggestions about what you may want to do on your vacation, as well as lend her expertise when you need it.
 • Coordinator – She will handle the logistical aspects of your trip to make sure it flows smoothly.
 • Agent – Let her book everything and keep track of confirmations and schedules.
 • Confidante – You can brainstorm together, and she will lend an ear and a hand when you are frustrated.
 • Curator – She can organize your vision into a visually beautiful and easy-to-follow itinerary.
 • Contact – When your boots are on the ground, she is your go-to person for adjustments to your schedule, or to address any issues.
 • Accountant – Let her assist with your budget-planning process, keep track of expenses, and ensure that you spend within your means.
 • Advisor – She can suggest a packing list or where to park at the airport, and she'll remind you that a 30-minute connection is stress you don't need.
 • Caretaker – Allow her to find or provide (depending on where you live) water for your plants, alternate side parking for your car, or a pet sitter for your dog while you are away.
 • Consultant – All of the above and more!​

Question 5

I love everything you're saying, but I am a budget traveler. Can I afford a custom vacation?

Accepted Answer

Regardless of your budget, Go Farther Travel is committed to transforming your dream vacation into reality. We work with you to determine a plausible "all-in" budget, and then bundle your pre-paid expenses with that in mind. While we cannot pay for your meals and souvenirs in advance, your Go Farther Travel package will always leave room in your budget for those costs. Even better, we offer payment plans, so you can take advantage of the "bougie-on-a-budget" experience that we provide!

Question 6

I am interested in your Custom Planning Services. What happens next?

Accepted Answer

1. You complete our 10-minute, in-depth questionnaire.(https://www.gofarthertravel.com/questionnaire) We will then send you the link to schedule your free, no strings attached, consultation call.
2. Your consultant will "meet" with you on Zoom so you can get to know one another, discuss your trip, and go over the process in more detail.
3. Your planner will give you a rough estimate or range of what the trip will cost. If you are comfortable with that number, she will send you an invoice for her non-refundable planning fee. Don't worry! This fee will be applied to your package price if you move forward with booking your custom trip with us. If not, you will have purchased a full itinerary to book on your own when you're ready.*
4. Once your deposit has been received, we will get started on customizing your dream vacation! You'll then have an itinerary review call to discuss any changes you want to make and to go over your payment plan.

Question 7

How far in advance of my trip should I contact you?

Accepted Answer

You can reach out to us at any time! Ideally, we will have ample time to plan your trip (6 months or more). However, if you need expedited services, we can assist you with that as well.
 
But what if you just got engaged and are thinking about a honeymoon two years from now? Or your 25th wedding anniversary is three years away and you are already dreaming of an epic vacation? Our philosophy is that it is never too soon to start planning! More time planning also means more time to save and pay for the trip, which is always a good thing. Since your consultation is free, there is no reason to put off getting started.​

However, regardless of when you start the planning process, we cannot guarantee any flight, hotel, service, or even price until the trip has been paid in full. Availability is subject to change, as are schedules and exchange rates. Please review our Terms & Conditions for more information.

Question 8

How much should I plan to pay up front?

Accepted Answer

Our initial consultation call is absolutely free. We will review your questionnaire before the call in order to generate a non-binding estimate or price range to discuss with you. Only if you are aligned will we proceed with collecting a planning fee for your trip.

Planning travel is our full-time job. We work many hours to learn, research, compare, quote, customize, inform, book, confirm, meet, and follow-up, not to mention being on call 24/7 for our clients who are traveling. Any fees charged are to compensate your planner for the time she is investing in your custom vacation. Without those fees, Go Farther Travel would be like any other travel agency, selling overpriced trips based on which supplier offers the highest commission. We pride ourselves on planning your travel to the same standards we'd plan our own - and that includes pinching your pennies. We work hard to provide you with the most bang for your buck! Hence, "bougie-on-a-budget."

Fortunately, if you book your custom trip with us, we treat the fee as a down payment on your package price, to make sure it fits in your overall budget. If you decide to book the trip on your own, we will send you a PDF of your itinerary, which includes a day-by-day agenda, simplifying your future travel plans! (The fee will not be returned to you.)

Any fees charged for our other services are not refundable, nor will they be credited to the booking. This includes flights that are not part of a package. Please contact us if you need more information on any of our services or their associated costs.

For full transparency, our fees and terms are as follows:

Custom Planning Services for trips up to 10-days long: $300
Custom Planning Services for trips 10-days or longer: $500

Additional Quotes for different dates or destinations: $100* 
Major Itinerary Changes, first: $100*
Any Additional Major Changes, per occurrence: $150*

Cruise Quotes: $25 per cabin, which will be returned to you as an onboard credit.

Flight Research & Booking Fees:**
Continental USA: $25 / ticket
Intra-Continental: $50 / ticket
International: $75 / ticket

Points' Maximization:*** 
1-4 people traveling together: $299
Each additional person or origin airport: $149

Expedited Planning Fees: If your departure is in 30 days or less, an expedited research and planning fee will be assessed, depending on the length of the trip. It is in addition to your trip deposit and will not be applied to your package price. Please inquire.

*Major changes include new dates or alternate destinations. These charges are in addition to the standard fee and are not refundable nor applicable to the package price.

**Flight research and booking fees are not charged to CPS clients whose flights are included in their original package price. Research fees will be charged before quotes are provided and are not refundable under any circumstance.

***CPS clients who wish to include this service in their package will be charged $199 for 1-4 people traveling together.

Question 9

I have another question that you didn't answer here.

Accepted Answer

Please complete our Contact Form (https://www.gofarthertravel.com/)and we will get back to you as soon as possible!

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